Two New Stars

Hot off the pillow and shuttles, here are two stars that I finished up today.  The white one is tatting the other is tape lace made with bobbins.  I'd never done the braided fillings before and they turned out fine for a first time.   

I also used spangled midland bobbins on loan to me.  I'm liking how little room they take up on the pillow, but not so sure about the spangles yet.   I've got an intense Milanese moon on my nice pillow right now and am about to start into some sewings. We shall see.

It's the Holiday Season

As Halloween approaches I start my holiday season.  Those that know me know that I would give Thanksgiving a miss and go strait from All Hallows Eve to Christmas Eve.  I've even started listening to Christmas tunes.  In my defense it was more because I was having panic attacks and needed to lower my stress.  Holiday music does this for me like nothing else.  That and England.  One of those is infinitely cheaper.

So here is my start to the holiday craftiness.  A bobbin lace star that I made on my new pillow with bobbin that were loaned to me.  They are very small!  I'm still pondering if I like them enough to get my own.

Next up on the pillow is a Milanese moon.

Star Spangled Bobbins

The set of spangled bobbins Mari lent me have glared at me for a week.  All fanned out on a tray table. Put in to pairs.  Begging to be used.  I had one problem - contact paper.

I knew exactly which pattern I wanted to try - Star with Star Ground - that we had done in guild two years ago.  It has very little sewings and looks lovely when done.  The problem was I couldn't find my roll of contact paper to cover the pricking and DH couldn't find any at the store.  This led to the cleaning up of my art studio . . . I know I know it needed doing too.  And Hazzah the paper was found, the pricking covered and the work begun.

Here is what I've found.  I pick the bobbins up by the spangles.  I have a hard time picking up the itty bitty shaft and find the spangle loop easier to grasp.  I've not seen anyone else do this so I know it's probably not "proper", but it's working for me.  I'm still not sold on itty spangled bobbins, but they do take up much less space on the pillow.

The Woes of a Faild Battery

I have very few pictures as my camera has been having battery issues.  I've also been doing very little worth taking pictures of.  How interesting are pics of things like, "books I've been copying patterns from" or "new thread I bought just because".

Here is a snake that I and some random kids at a demo made this last September.

I'll have a few more lace things as soon as I get new batteries for the camera.

In other news:  I was elected as VP of the local lace guild for the next 2 years. The gravestones I've been making for Halloween decorations are looking good as well as the PVC pipe skeleton.  Pics to follow...*arg ye power gods*

I've also been painting my kitchen.  Not very home artsy, but quite fun. 

Little Woosh of Air

While it seems that the Carol Berg book project took all the wind out of my sails I assure you it did not.  I have been tatting oodles and oodles. . . of the same thing . . . over and over. 

I'm making an altar cloth for a temple and know that I've got to make a couple hundred of them...so far I have 5 *LAUGH*.

I have also been writing, which some of you have read.  But unfortunately I've yet to work up an antagonist I like.  There are couple of fun scenes in which nasty things happen to my troop of main characters, however, no bad guy for them to thwart yet.

I've also been working up a list of Halloween and Chrsitmas projects.  Yep you read that right CHRISTMAS *mu ha ha ha ha*  I will be embarking on gift projects very soon.  Okay as soon as I find the floor in my sewing room.  DH bought me a large industrial shelving unit that now awaits the junk on my floor.  Cleanliness before projectieness.

I actualy wish I could start a craft club.  Like a book club only more fun.  We get together once a month and work on crafts, swap patterns, that sort of thing.  I know I know I go to a lace guild right now, but honestly I'd like people more my age.  *sigh*  some days I want friends...other days I love my hermitage.

Here's the skeleton I'm making for Halloween  http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/general-bone-e-part-671267/

Anyone want to swop ideas?

It's a Box

I woke early this morning and instead of cleaning or starting into packing food for my trip I made a box.  It's for THEE BOOK.  I didn't have enough of the green marbled paper so I used up all my blue *laugh*.   I really need a bigger house so I can have room for a true guillotine cutter.  *sigh*  when we get rich off Rick's teaching job *snort*.

Ah well, here are pics of the box:

Celebration Time!

When you finish something big you should celebrate.  Finally, after 3 years and quite a number of mishaps that labeled this project cursed, I finished.  To celebrate I want to eat cheese cake or chocolate mouse.  I want to watch a fun movie and eat popcorn and red vines.  I want to go on vacation. I want to do a little dance, make a little love, get down tonight.   Sorry, song cue.

I'm not sure what life will be like without this project hanging over me.  I do have 2 other copies that need to be bound.  One sewn and one not even trimmed down yet, but for now I'm taking a break from book making.

So, with out further ado . . . the bound book for an awesome author.

  

  

 

 

 

Bonus bookmarks I tatted.

Bound to Stay That Way

Hallelujah!

The Lighthouse books are bound.  It is 2 and a half inches thick, but looking good.  I'm less freaked out now.  All that's left is sewing the end bands, putting in the end papers, and casing it in.  With a little determination I can have it done in 3 or 4 days.

Here's hoping I get the clothing sew in 1.5 weeks.  *LAUGH*  Pictures to follow when I have the time and can find the camera.

Crossing it Off

When I worked in theater costuming and we would be down to that last week before an opening a big list would be made of all that was left to do.  You put a red circle next to the item you were working on and then, when done, you had the pleasure to cross it out in black sharpie.  I love crossing things off lists.  To obliterate even the words on the list for an item.

Colorado is 3 weeks away and I have a HUGE list.  However, I am slowly crossing things off.
Here is this weeks done pile!

2 pairs of pants for hiking in Colorado - check
2 new outfits for Boo to wear in Colorado - check
Burp cloths and a swaddle blanket for cousins baby - Check
Roses and Peonies in the ground - check
Sprinklers fixed - check
House warming gift for friend who is moving - check
Carol Berg book done - I WISH  *laugh*  I just started sewing the signatures.

Things not on the list but that were accomplished this week:
My main character finally told me his name.  Tamasaburou Cainne.  Now if only I could figure out how a non-corporeal being can attack a solid structure in a life or death circumstances way - *laugh*

Pictures to follow!

The Tome of Berg

Well I've gotten the second cover embroidered for the Berg book.  This one turned out a lot nicer than the other and that's a blessing as this is a gift for the author.  Now all I have to do is bind it.  *LAUGH*  I'm not going to get the Reticella bookmark done, but them's the breaks

I've gotten a number of bookmarks done and sent off to people.  I need to do 2 more and get those in the mail.  I also have to get a bunch of sewing done for Colorado.  Oh, and put in plant, fix the water so said plants don't die and keep up with things like teaching the Sunbeams.  That's getting really really hard.

Oh and I'm working on a story.  SO far so good and I'm determined with this.  This will be a year I get a good chunk of a story our of my head an on paper. 

PS: Started the Altar cloth . . . .AGAIN.

Curse Me a River

Been working on the Berg book...YAAA CURSES!  But I think I'm just going to make it a thick medieval style book and be hanged...it's not for reading it's for drooling over.

I'm also working on a bunch of bookmarks, but no photos as yet.

Keep crafting!

Lighthouse Covers

     These are the covers I've been designing and creating for the hand bound Lighthouse books.  Years in the making and through a number of "cursed" set backs I believe I've finely caught the feel for the story.  Also, I think I'm finally happy with the product...sort of.  The perfectionist in me always sees improvements, but I have to admit these turned out lovely.

BIG GUNS

I have started a number of "big guns" type projects.  Binding a 1000 page book, making a temple alter cloth (see picture), learning to smock, and gearing up for planting season.  Oh, and lets not forget that I'm unofficially officially in charge of the Colorado family reunion; at which I'll be teaching tatting and pattern drafting. *blink*  What have I got myself into?

I'm also trying to finish up the 300-400 "pin pillows" that I sort of became in charge of for the lace convention next year.

To that end I've been cleaning and tossing and sorting and cleaning my studio.  I really hope I have the room now, but I'm sure it'll fill right back up and I'll have to do it all over again in a few months.

Here is the motif I've settles on.  I really like the holly leaf image it makes in the center; just hope the cloth they put under it is a darker color; I'm getting really sick of cream/yellow themed temples.  

Hope it works.

One Less Tatter in the World

I have come to understand that lace making lets you into a very close knit community.  We may not really "know" each other, but we support and care greatly about one another by the simple fact that we love making lace.  We may not change the world by our little frivolities, but we do make it a little better, brighter, and beautiful.

We lost one yesterday.  One of the bright stars that everyone seemed to love and take inspiration from.   The Tatting Goddess Gina Brummett has gone on to become a real goddess at the throne of God.  We will miss you.